Translation of TV reportage:

This is not the first time that Maryleen exhibits her work in Saint Petersburg.
Maryleen is of Dutch origin, but she has worked in a variety of countries, and at present has a preference for our northern capital.
Her paintings are luminous, festive, spontaneous; sometimes orange, green and blue tones do not suffice, in which case she uses gold: for golden should be her compositions on Russian themes.
Maryleen: "A highly intriguing characteristic of Russian culture is its combined layers of Asian, Slavic and European elements, especially when these reflect into each other."
Sometimes Maryleen paints landscapes from nature: she likes to go to Ladoga to make preliminary sketches. However, she mostly works in her studio in Saint Petersburg on compositions from her own imagination..
Art experts recognise in her work the influence of Russian artists from the first half of the twentieth century: Roerich, Bakst, Bilibin.
A visitor comments: "It is usually eclectic when people are drawn to everything Russian, which is ultimately impossible to embrace and understand, because with us, there is too much of everything. You see, she gives her whole heart to these exhibitions. You can see it directly as a festive cake with candles and Firebirds and loads of enthusiasm."
Maryleen studies Russian and comes to Saint Petersburg more and more frequently. She has friends here, and the possibility to find inspiration in Russian art and museums.
In July, this valiant visitor from abroad plans to undertake a rather complex train journey to Irkutsk, and from there on to Mongolia. This would make it possible, according to her, to understand Russia even better.

Zinaida Kurbatova, Maksim Smirnov en Natalja Dinova
Saint Petersburg, Vesti